Except for the TV cameras and host Ty Pennington, it was a scene straight from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

Scores of Plainview High School teachers and staff, along with spouses and children, 4-H leaders and others descended on a badly-deteriorating home in northwest Plainview early Sunday. And, by mid-afternoon the structure had been gutted and reconstruction was beginning.

After it's treated by a local pest control firm today, carpeting is scheduled to be installed Tuesday with donated furniture, appliances and clothing being moved in later in the week.

"We only became aware of a student living in these conditions last week, but it was something we needed to move on quickly," said PHS teacher D'Lee Powell.

While school officials can't share much about the family being helped due to student confidentiality laws, Powell and Phoebe Jones, secretary to Principal Lisa Kersh, explained that the student involved is a junior at PHS.

"She lost her father about four years ago and now her mother is battling a serious illness," Jones said.

Some of the school staff helped the family out last year, but they recently found out that the mother and daughter's living conditions had seriously deteriorated.

"We found rats the size of bunnies in and around the house," one teacher said Sunday afternoon.

And as light fixtures and furniture were being removed, roaches were sent scurrying about.

Outside, towering weeds in the back yard hid more trash and filth.

After a truck provided by the city's sanitation department started overflowing with broken furniture, soiled bedding and other debris, numerous pickup loads of trash were hauled off.

"People started getting here about 10 a.m. Sunday, and we've had 20 or more working at a time all day long," Powell said late Sunday afternoon. "There's probably been more than 100 people helping out today."

Numerous businesses and individuals have donated furniture, clothing, carpeting, appliances and building materials for the project.

"We had a man bring by several sheets of plywood this afternoon because he heard what we were doing and knew that it was something we would need," Powell said.

The mother and daughter are staying in a local motel during the cleanup and reconstruction.

A new washer and dryer along with several other household appliances have been donated, but as of late Sunday afternoon the remodeling team still was seeking a gas stove for the residence.

"We're planning to set up a fund for the family," explained Jones. "But at this point anyone interested in helping out can call us at the school office" at 296-4051. They also can contact Jones, Kersh, Powell, Jan Cabler, Kathy Curry or Coach Marcos Hinojos.

An account to pay for supplies for the home makeover project currently under way by Plainview High School teachers and staff has been set up at 84 Lumber. Anyone interested in assisting in the project can contact D’Lee Powell at 685-5300 or Phoebe Jones at 292-0980.

(Contact Doug McDonough at dmcdonough@hearstnp.com or 806-296-1350. Find him on Facebook.)